Appointments have already been made by new patients of the Tristar Medical Group’s clinic in High Street, on the site of the old Terminus Hotel at 79 High Street.

The company’s project co-ordinator, Campbell Matthies, said the surgery would open with eight staff including two doctors.

Another two GPs would arrive the following week and doctor numbers would be built to eight within the first few months, Mr Matthies said.

He said patients were able to make appointments via telephone or on the company’s website, which links 29 clinics across NSW and Victoria.

“All Tristar clinics aim to endeavour to make same-day appointments for patients and there is no pre-registration,” Mr Matthies said.

“The vast majority of consultations will be bulk-billed; anything that Medicare funds will be bulk-billed.”

The Mildura-based Tristar Medical Group was established in 2003 when Dr Khaled El-Sheikh and his Brisbane-born wife Kylie established their first clinic in Warracknabeal.

The group’s 28th clinic was opened in Ballarat this week.

Mr Matthies said the Tristar group focused heavily on recruitment of doctors from both within Australia and overseas, as well as assisting them with completing their training and registration.

He said Dr El-Sheikh, who emigrated to Australia from Egypt in 1995, had first-hand experience working in rural communities.

His network of clinics now includes Horsham, Nhill, Jeparit, Portland and Bendigo in rural Victoria, and South West Rocks, Kempsey, Morisset and Norah Head in NSW.

Mr Matthies said Tristar had found “huge demand” for medical services in Albury and Wodonga.

“We have already been taking bookings for next week,” he said.

The new clinic will operate seven days a week, from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.